sub bind_hash { my $table = shift; my %results; my $sql = do { local $" = ", "; "SELECT @_ FROM $table"; }; my $sth = $dbh->prepare($sql); $sth->execute(); $sth->bind_columns(map { \$results{$_} } @_); return (\%results, sub { $sth->fetch() }); } # ... later: my ($res, $fetch) = bind_hash users => qw(name email); while ($fetch->()) { print "$res->{name} >$res->{email}>\n"; }